Means for purifying the gases of the exhausted products of combustion of internal combustion engines



Mal'h 26, 1940- E. F. HENNEssY 2.1985276 l ODUCT 0F COMBUSTIQN 0FINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES MEANS FOR PURIFYING THE GASES 0F THEEXHAUSTED PR lFiled Feb. 20, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR i". HennessyBY ATTORNEY March 26, 1940. E

llEANS FOR PURIFYING F. HENNEssY 2.195.276

.THE GASES 0F THE EXHAUSTED PRODUCTS 0F CONBUSTION 0F INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 20, 1957 IWI 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORMLU.

" A'rroRNE f and deodorize the gases of th Patented Mar. 26, `1940 'l'yGFFECE e l e r.2,195,276 f MEANS Eoitrnairymo. THE GASES or THEEXHAUSTED PEo or INTERNAL o DUCTS OF COMBUSTION OIVIBUSTION ENGINESEdward F. Hennessy, Rosiyn, N. Yr

Application February 20,

` i claims.

This invention relates` tov means for use in connection withinternallcombustion engines to ybe connected to the outlet .of theengine for theexhaustfof the `products of combustion to purify eexhausted products of combustion. f

Asis well known the products of combustion exhausted from internalcombustion engines utilizing gasolene as a vfuel contain gases vthat are`not only noxious and pungent but toxic and deleterious to human health,and when a substance is used in connection or mixed with the gasolene tocontrol combustion of the gasolene and produce .what is termedanti-knock Vgasolene the deleterious gases or substances of theexhausted products of combustion'are augmented. It is an object oftheinvention to provide improved means adapted tobe connected totheexhaust outlet for the products of combustion of internal combustionengines to receive and cause the exhausted products of combustion topass through said vmeans and during the passage therethrough purify andydeodorize the products of combustion. l f l It is another object of theinvention to provide improved means for this purpose of unitarystructure having an inlet adapted to be connected in y communicationwith the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine and includinga chamber or container carrying a liquid chemical substance or emulsion,or' chemical in solution,

' having a high boiling point and a lowv freezing point and the propertyto absorb noxious and pungent constituents or gases of the products ofcombustion and/orx toxic constituents thereof by causing the stream ofthe products of combustion exhausted from the engine to be divided andsubjected to the action of a chemical in a plurality of streams, saidmeans being provided with a chamber in which to receive and expand theproducts of combustion after they havebeen subjected to the action ofthe chemical, andthe provision of means through 'whichv the products ofcombustion are successively passed'to filter the same. i

vOther objects and advanta will hereinafter appear.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a casing lhaving achamber therein and a container or chamber for a material having theproperty to purify and deodorize the gases of the I,products ofcombustion of internal combustion engines by such gases contacting thematerial, such as a chemical, .chemical emulsion-o1 chemical insolution, the container having an .outlet ges of the invention'constituents of 1937, seal No. 126,840

opening into the casing. Amain conduit adapted to be connected to ytheIoutlet -for the products of combustion of an internal combustion engineis extended intoy the casing and has branch conduits connected thereto,each branch conduity 5 havingk -:reconnection` with the container abovethe level of the material therein and a licy-pass connection. with thecontainery below the level of the material-to cause a mixing andintimate contacting of the gases of thefproducts oi' combustion withsuch material to effect absorption and/or fixing of noxious, pungent andtoxic 'constitnents or substances of the gases of the products ofycombustion `in the passage of the samev into the chamber, said branchconduits dividing the stream of gases ydelivered through themain conduitand delivering of the same in a plurality of streams into the containeror chamber. The casing has an` outlet'for the purified gases rwith meansinterposed.between` saidy `outlet and the casing chamber through which`the gases lare delivered from the casing chamber to the outlet of thecasing to effect a ltering ofthe purified gases before they aredelivered Afrom the casing chamber. l

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this applicationFigure l'isI a top View of -gas purifying and deodorizing meansembodying the invention and shown partlygin section, the sectionbeingtaken on the vline `I--l of Figure 3o -2 lookingin the direction ofthearrows.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-12 ofFigure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figurev 3 is a sectional view vtak on the line 3 3 of Figure tion ofthearrows; and t Figure i is a sectional view Vto show the` bypassconnection of the container or chamber containing the purifying anddeodorizing material with a branch conduit leading to said container.

In the embodiment of in the drawings there is en substantially 1 lookingin the directhe invention illustrated provided a casing C which may beof any desired cross sectional `shape and .shown as of rectangular shapein cross section and as having greater length and'heighth than Width. Acontainer or chamber fora material, having both a low freezing andv ahigh boiling point and the pr the gases of the products of cornbustionof an internal combustionengine is provided. While any'materialhavingthe property to produce the result desired may be utilized, anexample of material `to produce the result comprises 55 opertytoabsorbnoxious andtoxic v a substance including a fatty compound and analkali, such as soap or soap powder, in solution of `500 cc. of waterand cc. of a vegetable oil, such as cotton seed oil, mixed therewith andthen adding water Vto the mixture to produce approximately two gallons.If desired, a of phenolphthalein may be mixed with the fatty compoundand alkali solution prior tomixing the vegetable oil therewith.

The chamber or container for the chemical may constitute a receptaclemounted in the casing C, or may be, as shown, casing C by a partition ofangular form in longitudinal section extending transversely between theside walls of the casing with one leg of the partition spaced from theforward end of the casing and extending upward from the bottom thereof,and the other leg extending to the forward end wall of the casing C,portions of the front and side walls and bottom of the casing Cconstituting walls of the chamber or container, as shown at 6. Thecontainer 6 is adapted to be filled with the chemical, chemical emulsionor chemical in solution to substantially threefourths of its capacity toprovide an air space in the container above the material, and asuitablegauge cr sight glass may be provided to indicate the quantity of thematerial in the container. The container or chamber 6 has an inletconduit connected thereto through which to fill the chemical or materialinto the container, and as shown is connected in communication with thecontainer adjacent the top, as at I8, and extends through and above thetop of the casing C and provided with a removable closure. To drain thecontents from the container 6 it is provided with a suitable valvecontrolled outlet, and shown asa valve S the casing of' which is securedin and opens to the container through the bottom thereof. The purifiedgases `are delivered from the'container 6 through an outlet member lllconnected in communication with the top of the container and opening tothe chamber in the casing C constituting an expansion chamber for thepurified gases, formed by the wall of the container li and a wall offibrous material II, preferably metallic fibers, such as steel wool orcopper, extending transversely of the rear end of the `casing within theoutlet I2 of the casing in the converging end wall I3 and centrally ofthe casing and through which material the. purified gases delivered fromthe container into the chamber of the casing C are adapted to pass andthereby be filtered. The filtering material is confined Within thecasing between a pair of foraminous walls or partitions or wire mesh I4,I5, and accessto the space between the partitions or walls I4, I5 forfilling the material into such space and for substituting or renewingsuch material is through an opening in the top of the casing C having aremovable `closure, as at I6.

A main conduit Il is extended into the casing Cthrough the forward endwall above the container 6 and is adapted to be connected to the outletof an internal combustion engine for the products of combustion, orconstitute a continuation of the exhaust pipe usually connected to saidVoutlet. The end of the conduit I'I within the casing C is iiaredlaterally to arrange the same of increased width and of decreased crosssectional area, as at I8. A plurality of branch conduits I9, shown inthe present instance as eight in number, although a greater or lessnumber may be used, are connected in communication with the fiared endI8 of the conduit l'l to divide small quantity formed within the thestream of gases delivered through the conduit I1 into a plurality ofstreams having a combined volume substantially equal to the volume ofthe stream of the gases delivered through the conduit I'l. The b-ranchconduits I9 are each `bent at a right angle to extend to adjacent the 6above the level of the solution therein, thel extremity of said endportions I9" being arranged to open to the container 6 in a downwarddirection vto the top oi` the material therein, as clearly shown inFigure 2. Each of the portions I9 of the branch conduits I9 is connectedin communication with the container 6 to by-pass the material from saidcontainer to Said portions I9 of the branch conduits, and shown asarranged adjacent the juncture of said portions I9 with the return `bendof the branch conduits I9 and communicating with the container 6adjacent the bottom thereof, said connecting means comprising a pipeEllfor each branch conduit I9 secured at one end man opening in the wallof the container 6 and the opposite end secured in an opening in theportions I9 of the branch conduits I9 and having an elbow arrangedwithin said portion of the conduits I9 to open upwardly therein, asclearly shown in Figure 4, whereby the iiow of the gases through thebranch conduits I9, I9 past the outlet of said elbows will cause thesame to contact and mix with the solution passing from the container 6through the pipes 20 into the conduits I9 entrained with the gasesthrough the branch conduits into the top of the container 6.

In operation the gases of the products of combustion exhausted from aninternal combustion engine pass through the maink conduit I1 and by theconnection I8 thereof with the branch conduits I6 the gases deliveredthrough and from the main conduit I1 are divided or separated into a vplurality of streams into the branch conduits I9..

During the period of idleness the material in the container 6 will flowfrom said container through the connections 20 into the branch conduitsI9, I9' to a level substantially the same as the level of the materialin the container, and the gases delivered into the branch conduits willforce such material in the branch conduits forward thereof outward intothe top of the container, and during the continuance of the operation ofthe engine there will be a continuous by-passing of the solution fromthe `container through the connections 2li to the branch conduits andthe delivery thereof from the branch conduits with the gases into thecontainer 6, the passage of the solution from the container 6 into thebranch conduits causingthe gases to contact and mix therewith with theresult that it will absorb noxious and toxic constituents of the gases.The gases discharged into the container 6 are delivered through theoutlet thereof into and expanded in the chamber of the casing C betweenthe container 6 and the wall of fibrous filtering material `II anddischarged from the casing C through the foraminous walls I4, I5 andfibrous nltering material II and delivered through the outlet I2, thematerial II serving as a filter for and filtering the gases in theirpassage therethrough.

' invention.

By the 'arrangement of flaring. lthe end of the conduit'fil' andconnectingthe-branch conduits I9 thereto which have a combined area orVcapacity substantially equal to the area or capacity of the conduit l'lno back pressure will develop that Wouldftend to retard or impede thedischarge of the gases exhausted from the engine into the reactionchamber tl, and by the arrangement of4 dividing the main stream of.gases delivered -by the conduit I into a plurality of smaller streamsand delivering the same through a pluralityr` of branch conduits thereis produced a greater cooling surface and there is an eifective coolingof the 4gases before they are discharged into the reaction chamber iland a corresponding retarding of a rise in the temperature of thesolution in said chamber. Also by connecting the branch conduits to thecontainer to by-pass the purifying liquid to the branch conduits tosubject the gases passing therethrough to the action of the purifyingvliquid and entrain the purifying liquid with construction andarrangement of parts without v departing from vthe scope of theinvention, and

that portions of the invention may be used Without others and lcomewithin the scope of the Havingdescribed my invention, claim:

l. In means for purifying the exhaust gases of combustion of internalcombustion engines, a casing having an outlet in one end, an anglepartition extending transversely of and co-operating with the oppositeside walls, bottom and end Wall of the casing opposite the end Wall withthe outlet to form a container in the casing containing a gas purifyingliquid in quantity less than the capacity of the chamber and having anoutlet at one end from above the purifying liquid into the end of thecasing opposite the casing outlet, a main conduit adapted to beconnected to the exhaust outlet of an engine extended into the casingabove and parallelly of the container,

branch conduits connected to the main conduit in the casing extendeddownwardly to adjacent the bottom'of the casing at the end of thecontainer and then bent reversely to U shape to extend upwardlyparallelly of the downwardly extending portion and then extendedlaterally into the container above ythe purifying liquid, pipesconnecting each branch conduit adjacent the reverse bend to thecontainer to by-pass the purifying liquid from the container to thebranch conduits to act on the gases in their passage through the branchconduits to the container, said liquid being entrained and deliveredwith the gases'intothe container above the liquid and thefliquidseparating by gravity from the gases in their passage from the containerto the container outlet, and a filtering member extending transverselyof the casing between the outlets of the casing and the container intothe casing through which the gases are adapted to pass to the casingoutlet to filter the gases.

2. Inmeans for purifying the exhaust gases of combustion of internalcombustion engines, va icasing, meansA arranging the casing with. a pairof chambers, one chamber constituting the major portion of 'the .casinghaving an outlet centrally at' one end' of 'the' casing and the otherchamber arranged at the bottom'ofth-e casing and icon- 'conduit adaptedto be connected to the exhaust taining a purifying `liquid for saidgases in quantity less than the capacity of the chamber and having anoutlet leading from adjacent one end of the chamber above the liquidtherein into the Aend of the iirst chamber oppositevthe outlet, a

outlet of an engine extended into the first chamberv above the liquidcarrying chambervwith the end Within said chamber iiattened and flaredlaterally of the chamber, a plurality of branchconduitsv connected atone end to the flattened and'` laterally flared end of the first namedconduit4 and 'connected at'the opposite ends to the end of the liquidcarrying chamber opposite the end with the outlet above the liquid andarranged with an intermediate portion disposed in the first 'chamber ina plane below the level of the liquid in the liquid carrying chamber,and pipes connected to and in communication with the liquid in theliquid carrying chamberv and lsaidintermediate portion of each branchconduit 'to bypass the liquid from the liquid carrying chamber to eachof said branch conduits to mix with' the` gases in their passage throughthe branch conduits and be entrained and returned by the gases to theliquid carrying chamber, and means in the first chamber between theoutlet of said chambery and the outlet of the liquid carryingk chamberadapted for the passage of the gases therethrough from the rst chamberto the outlet thereof and to filter the gases.

3. Means for purifying the exhaust gases of i combustion of internalcombustion engines as claimed in claim 2, wherein the liquid carryingchamber is arranged at the forward end of the casing and the branchconduits connected to the main conduit are extended l"downward in therear of the liquid carrying chamber to adjacent the bottom of the casingand bent reversely to U .shape and extended into the liquid carryingchamber above and opening to the top of the liquid therein, and thepipes connecting the liquid carrying chamber with the branch conduitsare connected to the reversely U shaped bends of said branch conduits. p

fl. In means for purifying the exhaust gases of intothe end of the otherchamber opposite the casing outlet, a conduit extended through thecombustion of internal combustion engines, a casend of the casingopposite the outlet into the first chamber above the liquid chamberadapted to be connected to and receive the exhaust gases of combustionin a single stream from an engine, and having a plurality of outlets atthe end in the rst chamber, a branch conduit connected to each outlet ofsaid conduit and the end of the liquid chamber opposite the outlettherefrom to admit said gases in a plurality of streams into the liquidchamber, and pipes connected to and in communication with the liquid inthe liquid chamber and the branch conduits intermediate the ends toby-pass the purifying liquid from the container to each of the gasstreams in their passage through the branch conduits tothe liquid.

chamber to subject the gases to the action of the purifying liquid, saidliquid being entrained With the gases to the liquid chamber andseparated by

